Maggots in Bones! . . . .
They gazed upon the decomposing remains, now reduced to a gruesome puddle of crimson. The bodies they once knew had disintegrated into oblivion. Not a trace of hair or bone remained, leaving them with an unsettling mixture of nausea and terror.
What manner of poison possessed such devastating potency? It transcended the mere act of killing; it annihilated the very essence of life, leaving nothing in its wake. To be touched by this poison was to invite certain death.
"Let us go after Feng Zhiling! Seek vengeance!" declared the white-bearded elder, his visage etched with a vicious determination.
Without hesitation, they responded in unison, affirming their resolve.
"Let's go!"
"Hunt him down!"
Their return journey to the city was a stark contrast to their earlier pursuit. While the initial chase had brimmed with energy and determination, their steps now weighed heavily upon them. The exhaustion was palpable, seeping through their beings, both physically and mentally drained.
How could one maintain their vigor when faced with an adversary like that?
"How simple it is to pursue Feng Zhiling," one among them mused with a tinge of sarcasm.
"While he may be nursing serious injuries, we are entering his domain. It's not our territory, after all. As long as he eludes us, how can we ever hope to find him? When he recovers and resurfaces, and our paths finally cross, can we truly defeat him?"
The truth was that their chance to apprehend Cha Eun Xiao had slipped through their grasp, a missed opportunity. The white-bearded elder conveniently provided the excuse that they needed to collect their fallen comrades' bodies.
Yet, everyone was acutely aware that it was a façade.
They knew it in their hearts, though none dared utter it aloud, for it was a disconcerting admission.
Those who had fallen to Feng Monarch's might would never leave behind intact bodies. How could they, when their very forms dissolved into a pool of blood?
The source of their somber mood was plain: the terror inflicted upon them by that lightning-fast strike. They lacked the resolve to give chase.
No matter how they rationalized their actions, it was impossible to escape the truth: they were gripped by fear, cowed by Cha Eun Xiao.
As they trudged past a dense thicket several hundred meters away, an unexpected event unfolded.
A projectile streaked through the air, causing the very space to distort. The gloomy procession of men halted abruptly, their eyes widening in astonishment.
The vanguard, a group of seven, erupted into anguished cries and tumbled to the ground, writhing in agony. Their skin and visages underwent a ghastly transformation.
The remaining members observed this with growing terror, quickly distancing themselves. Weapons were drawn, and faces paled.
Simultaneously, a figure shot forth from behind the underbrush, akin to a white bird taking flight. Cha Eun Xiao brandished his arms, and seven shimmering streaks of cold light hurtled back into his grasp, each weapon merging with his outstretched hands.
"You are all tardy!" he chided, his tone laced with condescension. "I've waited long enough. You paused when you should have advanced and rushed ahead when you ought to have been cautious. With such a decision-making aptitude, how did you ever hope to set a trap for my demise? I am at a loss as to whether you are merely naive or profoundly foolish."
His vulture-like eyes fixated mercilessly upon them, an unmistakable air of predation.
Feng Zhiling, the Monarch of Ling-Bao Hall, had been concealed nearby, biding his time. In another swift strike, he claimed seven more lives.
The remaining fourteen survivors seethed with anger and frustration. Their taunts and challenges echoed through the air.
"Feng Zhiling, you wretched scoundrel! Cease your scheming and face me in honorable combat!"
Feng Monarch hovered in the heavens, a wry smile adorning his lips. "Honorable combat? With you? How audacious! I could dispatch you without breaking a sweat!"
With those words, he took no further action except to soar away like a dazzling rainbow. In the blink of an eye, he had distanced himself by hundreds of meters.
The men watched helplessly as their weapons soared into the sky and plummeted back to the ground.
Feng Monarch had slipped away yet again, leaving them to confront a bush several hundred meters away. Their gaze remained fixed on it, their apprehension intensifying.
Cha Eun Xiao had replicated his earlier actions, much like after the initial seven had perished. The injured seven men cried out as they writhed on the ground, their movements growing slower until they eventually ceased altogether. Their bodies began to deteriorate, a grim transformation indicating death by poison.
Poison once more, and seven more lives were claimed. The fourteen survivors stood trembling, their emotions a turbulent whirlwind of shock and fear. Their thoughts were a chaotic mix, leaving them uncertain of their next steps.
They regarded their fallen comrades, individuals with whom they had shared decades of life. Yet, they were powerless to prevent their deaths or seek vengeance.
"Feng Zhiling is a master of deception," they mused.
"He evades direct confrontations."
"He lurks in the shadows, employing poison, ambushes, and assassinations. He's like a relentless parasite, impossible to eradicate."
Feng Zhiling was a formidable adversary, a figure hidden in the shadows. These men had no opportunity for retaliation, no chance for survival. They were condemned to wait, each in turn meeting their end.
As Cha Eun Xiao had declared, "I can play you to death casually."
That declaration rang true.
The fourteen survivors wept as they gazed upon the remains of their comrades, mourning their losses.
"Is there any hope for us to reach Chen-Xing City, still two hundred miles away? The fourteen of us?"
The bush, a few hundred meters distant, quivered in the breeze. Its shadow, cast in the sunlight, offered respite from the scorching sun. However, to these men, it now appeared as a malevolent gate to a horrific realm.
They exchanged anxious glances, their terror reaching a breaking point, both physically and mentally.
Feng Monarch had eliminated seven men twice in quick succession. How many more times would he do so?
And then, an eruption of despair:
"I can't bear this any longer! Let me die! The sooner I die, the sooner I escape this torment! Feng Zhiling, why don't you come and finish me too!" cried one of the survivors, his voice tinged with madness. A brilliant azure light enveloped him, and he clung to his sword, charging madly toward the ominous bush.
"Stop! Cease this recklessness!" admonished the white-bearded elder, his face etched with worry.
But it was too late to halt the man's heedless rush.